Helicopter Rescue For All Passengers Aboard Antarctic Research Ship 168
The BBC reports (with video) that all aboard the ice-trapped MV Akademik Shokalskiy have been rescued by helicopter, after more than one icebreaker attempt to reach the vessel directly proved too challenging. Also at the New York Times, which reports "The twin-rotored helicopter, based on a Chinese icebreaker, the Xue Long, or Snow Dragon, flew several sorties across miles of packed ice to pluck scientists, tourists and journalists from a makeshift landing zone next to the marooned MV Akademik Shokalskiy research vessel."
Re:The Antarctic successfully defends itself (Score:4, Interesting)
Look at me, I don't understand science, and I call people doing their jobs in dangerous environments a vacation.
From a person who has never seriously done any difficult labor in their life, so much you can smell it.
Cheers for the crew! (Score:4, Interesting)
--Coder
Re:But don't worry (Score:5, Interesting)
Absolutely agreed. You could pretty much replace "helicopter" with "nuclear ice breaker capable of sailing in practically any ice" and there would have been nothing for me to gripe about. Although the existing nuclear ice breakers are all in the Arctic and allegedly cannot cross the tropics under their own steam due to insufficient cooling.
Re:So what happens to the ship? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Global warming. (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Maybe off topic here, but... (Score:4, Interesting)
The rescuers pay for the cost of the rescues. Rescues at sea are a no-cost agreement under maritime conventions and traditions.
Some US politicians raised questions about this practice after costly rescue operations for Carnival cruise ships last year.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/carnival-u-s-won-reimbursed-triumph-costs-article-1.1315792